SUNDARGARH:A sub-adult female elephant was killed on Friday mid-night after being hit by a train between Julumbahal and Beheramunda under Kanika range of Sundargarh forest division in Sundargarh district.
The elephant carcass was buried near the spot of accident after autopsy on Saturday. Sundargarh DFO AK Mishra said the mishap occurred at about 12.20 am when the elephant was trying to cross the railway track. It was hit by Yeshwantpur-Tata Express on Howrah-Mumbai route.
A herd of 19 elephants was driven from the adjacent Jharsuguda district and it had entered Laneibahal village of Sundargarh. The herd then formed into two groups and moved in different directions. The DFO said the dead elephant was in the group of nine elephants and while eight of them had crossed the railway tracks, it was left behind and hit by the train.
The DFO claimed that two hours before the incident, the railway authorities were informed about the movement of the elephants. Although the speed of the train was regulated, the mishap could not be averted. A sub-adult female elephant was killed on April 12 this year after being hit by a goods train near Bimlagarh of Banki range of Rourkela Forest Division (RFD) in the district. An adult tusker was also killed in November 2013 after being hit by the speeding Gitanjali Express near Sunakhan of Rajgangpur range of RFD limits.